Alton j



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. J. SHAW.

, .HOISTING MACHINERY.

N0. 505,067. Patented Sept. 12, 18.93.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. K

' A. J. SHAW.

v HOISTING MACHINERY. 7 No. 505,067. Patented Sept. 12, 1893.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. A! J! HOISTING MACHINERY.

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ALTON .1. SHAW,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALTON J. SHAW, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHA'W ELECTRICCRANE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HOIST ING MACHINERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,067, datedSeptember 12, 1893..

Application filed February 17. 1893. Serial No. 462,713. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALTON J. SHAW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoisting Machinery,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hoisting machinery, and particularly to meansfor actuating the tr pFl or tripping mechanism employed there- W1 Thoughapplicable to hoisting apparatus generally, the invention is moreespecially designed for use in connection with electric hoistingmachinery, and some of its features are applicable to such only, hence Ishall illustrate and describe it in that connection. It 1s, however, tobe understood that as to all features except those which pertain only toelectrical appliances, the illustrated appara tus stands for andrepresents any and all common forms of hoisting machinery.

Figure l is a top plan view of the trolley of a bridge crane embodyingmy invention; Fig. 2, an end or side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, aview showing the cable, running block, and tongs, and the trip ortongs-actuating mechanism on a larger scale than in Figs. 1 and 2 5Figs. 4., 5, and 6, views illustrating the application of dash-pots tothe take-u p to prevent overrunning; Fig. 7, a view illustrating theinvention as applied to a hoist without a running block.

The same construction and arrangement of the operative parts beingemployed with tongs, tipping ladles, and the catches or looking devicesof scoops, buckets, or other carriers, I use the terms trip, trippingdevice, &c., in a generic sense, to include all such contrivances, theybeing common and well known. So too, the term carrier is used in acomprehensive sense, to include all those devices which are commonlyemployed to hold or carry the load, whether tongs, ladle, scoop, bucketor other carrier. Chains, wire ropes, hemp ropes and other flexiblebands being equivalents for the purposes of the invention, the termcable is likewise used comprehensively. Finally, the word takeup is usedgenerically, to indicate any part which may remain stationary during theraising and lowering of the load, but is moved to trip the carrier.

In another application I show, describe and claim an apparatus somewhatanalogous to the present one, but employing an auxiliary or special drumfor controlling the trip chain. The present application is intended tocover generically any and all forms of take-up device in thecombinations claimed, that may be fairly deemed equivalents of thespecial form of take-up illustrated. Atthe same time, though regardingand including a drum as the inferior equivalent of said special device,it is not the full equivalent thereof in all particulars, because notadmitting of application in all situations in which this one isavailable, and because of its not being capable of entering into all thecombinations of which this may form an element.

Referring now to the drawings, A indicates a supporting framework,represented as that of a trolley, such as used upon a traveling bridgecrane, but which may be any other support, fixed or movable.

B and C indicate two winding drums mounted in the framework A, andserving to take up or pay out the hoisting chain or cable D, which hasits opposite ends wound upon the respective drums, between which is anidler pulley, forming two loops of chain, in which rest the pulleys of adouble running block F. Obviously, the idler may be omitted and asingle-pulley running-block be employed, or a single drum may be used,one end of the cable being made fast to the supporting frame A. I

G, Fig. 3, indicatesapair of tongs, suspended from the running block Fby means of links H. To actuate the tongs, I provide a rod 1, the lowerend of which connects with the pivot bolt a of said tongs, and the upperend of which is connected by a chain or flexible band b, with asecondary running block J. The block J is hung in the loop of chain,cable, or band K, one end of which winds upon one of the hoisting drumsB, C, and is consequently wound on or off at precisely the same rate asthe hoisting chain or chains, while the other end is attached to thetakeup device L. The take-up in its preferred form, consists ofarack-bar'c suitably guided,

and moved as required by a pinion 61 meshing therewith, as well shown inFig. 4. Pinion d'receives motion either directly or through suitablegearing, from a motor M, it being found desirable ordinarily to employintermediate gearing, in order to prevent too sudden or extendedmovement of the take-up. It will be observed that the rod I and chain orband 1), merely constitute a connection between the trip chain K and thepivot aof the tongs, and that the same effect would be produced were thechain K passed about the pivot a or apulleythereon. Such arrangementwould be inconvenient in that the chain K would be liable to becomeentangled with the block; but in either case thetripping is effected byraising the pivot a, the links H H, in such case causing the opening ofthe levers constituting the tongs. The upper ends of the levers or armsof the tongs, the pivot a, and the links H H therefor constitute, ineffeet, a trip device. WVith ladles, scoops and the like, a latch bar iscommonly employed, with which the trip chain would of course beconnected the same as it is here connected with the pivot 0t. Duringtheraising or lowering of a load, the rack-bar 0 remains in its lowerposition, but when it is desired to actuate the trip and discharge orrelease the load, the rack bar is lifted, thereby raising the secondaryrunning block J, which in turn raises rod I and opens the tongs oractuates the trip, in whatever form the latter may be made. The motor Mmay be of any desired type, though I prefer to employ an electric motor,and one capable of reversal, so as to move the take-up positively inboth directions.

To bring the rack-bar c to rest gradually, a dash-pot N may be employed,and this may be made to retard the movement in only one or in bothdirections, as found expedient.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the dash-potNis shown in the single form, and therack-bar is represented as having but one piston e,Fig. 4 showing thetrip chain connection in the form of a rod f, passing centrally throughthe bottom of the dash-pot, and provided with a packing gland g; whilein Fig. 5, said connection is represented as in the form of a bail oryoke g, passing about the dash-pot. The latter construction renders apacking gland unnecessary, and if the parts he nicely fitted it may beomitted under the construction shown in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 6 the rodf, forming an extension of rack-bar c, is shown withtwo pistons e, and the dash-pot N is represented as double in form, sothat one or the other of the pistons 6 shall come into action whicheverway the rack-bar may move.

In connection with the trip motor M, I employ, ordinarily, an automaticbrake 0, shown in position in Fig. 2. The construction of the brake maybe varied considerably without affecting the present invention, but asrepresented, comprises a hub or disk h, on the motor shaft, or a shaftof the motor train,a

rack-bar.

brake band or shoe 1 bearing upon said hub or disk,--and a strongspringj, or a weight, which normally acts to apply the brake band orshoe to the hub or disk with force sufficient to hold the parts at rest.

P indicates an electro-magnet, advisably made in the form of a solenoidas shown. The core of the magnet, if a solenoid be used, or the armatureof the magnet if a dilferent form be employed, is attached to one end ofa lever Q, which acts upon the spring or pressure devicej in a manner torelieve the brake band or shoe of its force, and thus to free the motoror motor train. The electro-magnet P is preferably arranged in serieswith the motor M, but may be in a shunt, or even in an independentcircuit, if for any reason such arrangement should be found expedient.So long as the circuit in which the electro-magnet is included isclosed, the magnet will be energized and will withdraw the brake, butthe instant its circuit is interrupted the brake will be applied byreason of the release of springj and its action upon the brake band orshoe. By including the magnetin the motor circuit it is caused towithdraw the brake the instant the motor is set in operation, and torelease its hold upon the brake and permit it to go into action theinstant the.

motor current is interrupted, hence said arrangement is deemed mostsuitable.

To prevent the possibility of overrunning of the motor M throughpossible failure of the brake to stop it promptly, aided or not by thedash-pot, I employ an automatic circuit breaker Q.

I desire to have it understood that I make no claim to such circuitbreaker, except as an element of a combination of which the rackbar cisan element; its employment in connection with the trip motor, broadlyconsidered, being the invention of one Harry Sawyer.

Upon referring to Fig. t it will be seen that the circuit wire orconductor It in which is in cluded the motor M, is interrupted at apoint near the rack-bar c, and that the separated ends are attachedrespectively to metallic bars Z and m, parallel with and close to the Acontact block it carried by but insulated from the rack-bar bridges thespace between the bars Z and m and bears upon both; but said bars are ofsuch lengths and so arranged that just before the rack bar 0 reaches theextremelimit of its possible travel 'in either direction the block itrides off from one of the bars Z m, and thereby opens or breaks thecircuit. It will be understood that under normal conditions, or unlessthe rack-bar overruns its proper limit of movement, the contact withbars Zm will not be broken,the circuit breaker being merely intended toact in case of undue movement of the rack-bar, and consequent danger ofinjury of the apparatus.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that three agents arethus simultaneously brought into play to bring the trip motor to IIOrest promptly; that is to say its supply current is interrupted; thebrake is applied, and the dash-pot comes into play.

As hoisting machinery of this class is largely used in handling moltenmetal, heavy molds and castings, costly machinery and other heavy andvaluable commodities, the accihave indicated in a conventional way, atS,

a battery or generator of electricity for supplying the necessarycurrent for said motor. It will of course be understood that a dynamoelectric generator will ordinarily furnish the requisite current.

The construction of scoop and bucket latches or trips, ladle-tippingdevices, &c., being common and well understood, it is deemed unnecessaryto illustrate the same herein, it being sufficient to say thatwhateverbe the form thereof the block J will be connected with and actuate orcontrol the same, if a running block be used in the hoist.

For hoisting apparatus in which a running block is not employed and inwhich the load is suspended directly from one end of the chain or cable,I adopt the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 7, in which one end of thehoisting chain or cable D and one end of the trip chain or band I) arewound upon the hoisting drum B and consequently are taken in or givenout alike. The trip chain 1), which corresponds to chain K of Figs. 1and 3, passes over a pulley 0, carried by the rack-bar c, and

consequently will be drawn up or let down by the upward or downwardmovement of said rack-bar, regardless of the movement of drum B. Theoperation of the device is therefore precisely the same as where therunning blocks are used.

In speaking of the take-up as remaining at rest while the hoisting drumis in motion I do not mean to convey the idea that the take-up cannot,if desired, be operated while the drum is in motion, as this may be donewhenever deemed expedient. Usually, however, the drum is at rest whenthe take-up is actuated, but its actuation is at all times independentof the drum, and in no way affected by the position of the carrier.

Being, so far as I am aware, the first to provide any form of take-updevice having the peculiarity of being wholly independent of the drum inits action, and having devised various forms thereof which I propose tocover by other patents, a rotary drum among others, I wish it understoodthat I mean herein to claim broadly such a take-up, regardless ofspecific form; and likewise to claim herein specifically, the rack-barcon-. struction, because of its peculiar adaptation for use inconnection with the automatic cir-.-

cuit breaker.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is- 1. In combinationwith a hoisting drum, a hoisting cable winding thereon, a carriersustained by said cable, and a trip device for said carrier;a secondcable connected with the trip device and having one'end arranged to windon and off the hoisting drum simultaneously with the hoisting cable; anda take-up connected with the second or trip cable, and

adapted to take in or pay out the same independently of the rotation ofthe hoisting drum.

-2. In combination with the hoisting drum,

cable, running block and trip of a hoisting apparatus, a secondary cablehaving one end arranged to wind on and off the hoisting drumsimultaneously with the hoisting cable; a take-up device connected withthe opposite end of said secondary cable, and a secondary running blockhung in a loop of the secondary cable and connected with the trip, sub-.stantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a hoisting drum, a hoisting cable windingthereon, a carrier sustained by said cable, and a trip device for saidcarrier; a second cable connected with the trip device and having oneend arranged to wind on and oft the hoisting drum simultaneously withthe hoisting cable; a take-up connected with the second or trip cable;and a motor for actuating said take-up, the motor and take-up beingindependent of the hoisting drum, so that the movements of the triprelatively to the carrier are independent of the position of the latter.

4. In combination with the hoisting drum,- cable, running block and tripof a hoisting apparatus; a secondary cable having one end arranged towind on and off the hoisting drum simultaneously with the hoistingcable; a take-up device connected with the opposite end of saidsecondary cable; a secondary running block hung in a loop of thesecondary cable and connected with the trip; and a motor for actuatingsaid take-up; the motor and the take-up being adapted to actuate thetrip independently of the hoisting drum.

5. In combination with a hoisting drum, a hoisting cable windingthereon, a carrier sustained by said cable, and a trip device for saidcarrier; a second cable connected with the trip device and having oneend arranged to wind on and cit the hoisting drum simultaneously withthe hoisting cable; a rack-bar connected with the opposite end of saidsec ondary cable; and a pinion meshing with said rack-bar and serving tomove the same and thereby to take up the secondary cable and actuate thetrip.

6. In combination with a hoisting drum, a hoisting cable windingthereon,a carrier sustained by said cable, and a trip device for saidcarrier; a second cable connected with the tripdevice and having one endarranged IIO to Wind on and off the hoisting drum simultaneously withthe hoisting cable; a take-up connected with the second or trip cable; amotor for actuating said take-up, and an automatic brake serving tobring the motor promptly to rest when the latter is thrown out ofoperation.

'7. In combination with a hoisting drum, a hoisting cable windingthereon, a carrier sustained by said cable, and a trip device for saidcarrier; a second cable connected with the trip device and having oneend arranged to Wind on and oi the hoisting drum simultaneously with thehoisting cable; a rack-bar connected with said secondary cable; anelectric motor gearing with and serving to move said rack-bar; and acircuit breaker carried by the rack-bar and included in the circuit ofsaid motor, all substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with a hoisting drum, a

hoisting cable winding thereon,a carrier susconnected with the secondarycable and serving to actuate the trip device; an electric motor gearingwith and serving to move the take-up, an automatic brake applied to ashaft of the motor train; an electro-magnet included in the motorcircuit and serving normally to hold the brake OE; and a circuit breakercarried by the take-up and serving to break the circuit in case of unduemovement of the take-11p.

9. In combination with a hoisting drum, a hoisting cable windingthereon,a carrier sustained by said cable, and a trip device for saidcarrier; a second cable connected with the trip device and having oneend arranged to wind on and off the hoisting drum simultaneously withthe hoisting-cable; a rack-bar connected with the secondary cable andserving to actuate the trip; and a dash-pot serving to retard themovement of the rack-bar.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALTON J. SHAW.

Witnesses:

L. N. KEATING, ARTHUR A. WHIPPLE.

